Amtrak passengers stuck for hours after Colorado rock slide
(The following story by Howard Nathan appeared at CBS4Denver.com on May 16, 2010.)
BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. A group of Amtrak passengers had to exercise patience over the weekend after a rock slide in southwestern Boulder County blocked the tracks.
Trains east and west of the slide were halted for up to 8 hours on Saturday. The westbound train returned to Denver and after spending more time at Union Station, the passengers were put on buses to Winter Park where they boarded what was originally an eastbound train.
Passengers on the eastbound train were taken to Denver to continue their journey as well.
"That's a lot of rock, it's pretty straightforward. There's one there that's about the size of a Volkswagen, it looked like," passenger Chuck Tremper said. "I think mostly thank God the timing wasn't such that it and we arrived at the same time."
The railroad re-opened by late afternoon. There was no damage to the track caused by the 10-by-30 foot rock slide.
Ten frieght trains were also stopped by the slide.